Sporobolus uniglumis Stent & J.M.Rattray

Gramineae, T. Cope. Flora Zambesiaca 10:2. 1999

Morphology General Habit

Caespitose annual; culms up to 40 cm tall, erect or ascending, branched or unbranched; leaf sheaths chartaceous, glabrous or with tubercle-based hairs near the margins above, lightly laterally compressed; leaf laminas 3–8 cm × 3–6 mm, flat, glabrous or scattered tuberculate-pilose on the surfaces, pectinate-ciliate below with tubercle-based setae but without raised glands interspersed among them, acute or subacute at the apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Panicle 3–6 cm long, ovate; branches in a succession of whorls, smooth, with scattered elongated viscid glandular patches, the spikelets 2–3 on secondary branchlets or directly on the primary branches above, branchlets and spikelets absent from the lowermost 1/5–1/4 of the primary branches.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets 1.2–1.6 mm long, greyish-green; inferior glume up to 1/4 the length of the spikelet but usually much less and often quite suppressed, oblong, nerveless, glabrous, obtuse at the apex; superior glume as long as the spikelet, ovate-elliptic, 1-nerved, conspicuously hispidulous (use ×10 handlens), acute at the apex; lemma as long as the spikelet or almost so, ovate-elliptic; anthers 3, 0.35–0.65 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Grain elliptic or obovate, 0.7–0.8 mm long, terete or lightly laterally compressed.

Gramineae, W. D. Clayton, S. M. Phillips & S. A. Renvoize. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1974

Morphology General Habit

Tufted annual; culms 20–30 cm. high, erect or ascending.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades narrowly lanceolate, 3–8 cm. long, 3–6 mm. wide, pectinate-ciliate on the margins near the base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Panicle ovate, 3–6 cm. long; primary branches in whorls.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets 1.2–1.6 mm. long, hispidulous (distinctly hairy under a lens), greyish green; lower glume a tiny oblong scale up to 0.2 mm. long, but often completely suppressed; upper glume ovate-elliptic, as long as the spikelet; lemma similar, or a little shorter; anthers 3, 0.4–0.6 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Grain ellipsoid or obovoid, 0.7–0.8 mm. long.

Habitat

Roadsides and around termite heaps; 1350 m.

Distribution

T4

Morphology General Habit

Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20-30 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 3-8 cm long; 3-6 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins ciliate; hairy at base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open; ovate; 3-6 cm long. Primary panicle branches whorled at most nodes. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 1.2-1.6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

Fertile

Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 1.2-1.6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes one the lower absent or obscure, or two; deciduous; dissimilar; reaching apex of florets. Lower glume ovate; 0-0.2 mm long; 0-0.1 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 1.2-1.6 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; grey; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface hispidulous. Upper glume apex acute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Fertile lemma ovate; 1.2-1.6 mm long; membranous; grey; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma surface hispidulous. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Anthers 3; 0.4-0.6 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ellipsoid, or obovoid; 0.7-0.8 mm long.

Distribution

Africa: west-central tropical, east tropical, and southern tropical.

Reference

Eragrostideae. FTEA.